Second Point of Veiw: Evgeni Plushenko66 years after Dick Button defended his title, Hanyu Yuzuru also won consecutively. But the person who came closest to also achieving this was this person. Evgeni Plushenko the Torino Olympics Gold Medalist. He was a favorite to win in Vancouver, but was beaten by a small margin. He, above all others, knows how hard it is to win consecutively (at the Olympics). Plushenko has been someone who Yuzuru has respected and aspired to for many years. How does he view Hanyu Yuzuru who challenged the consecutive wins that he could not achieve? Another Story from the Figure Skating Emperor. 24:04 Footage of Moscow and Evgeni Plushenko at the Plushenko cup, watching young skaters under 10 years old, and his own son compete. “Lots of mistakes, we’ll need to do special training on the camel spin” Strict words for his son, Alexander Plushenko who is 5 years old. There is a reason for this. “This competition is for scouting young talent, and inviting them to get special education at my school. So no matter who it is, we are strict from this stage. At this point the goal is to defeat Hanyu Yuzuru. To raise an athlete that will surpass him.”

25:34 Debuting in Seniors in 1997, for 20 years till his retirement in 2017, the emperor, Plushenko, trained on the ice. Hanyu strongly admired him, and when he was a child, even copied his hairstyle. “I first met him when he was about 10, at a show in Japan. 'This kid really admires you.' I was astonished at first sight. His spins were good. But he was so thin. If he was built up, he could get good results, I thought. But I didn’t have an inkling that he’d go on to win two Olympic Golds.”26:31 Plushenko’s timeline, the 4 Olympics he attended. 2 Individual silvers, 1 gold, 1 team gold.

12 years difference between Plushenko and Hanyu. Their first opportunity to skate against each other was at the Sochi Olympics. Three and a half years before that, Hanyu, who debuted as a Senior at 15…

Footage of Hanyu’s NHK2010 performance and the Quad Toe he landed. Footage of 2012 LP at NHK where he won

27:40 “He’s climbing, I thought. A great rival for Sochi has been made. No matter how long you know someone, on the rink, they are the enemy. If it’s him (Hanyu) it will be a worthy victory.” (The word is taoshigai. Not sure about this translation)

28:05 There is a reason behind Plushenko’s excitement at Hanyu’s arrival, it goes back to the previous Olympics and a great disappointment. 28:16 Footage of Plushenko at the Vancouver OlympicsPreviously, Plushenko, who had won the Olympics at Torino attempted the defense of his title, which would have been the first in 58 years. He was confident that he had won, but by a mere point he did not reach the consecutive win. 28:30 “At Vancouver I was injured all over. It was a miracle I was able to compete at all. It’s frustrating that I lost, and I am unhappy with the scoring. But If I had not competed there, it would have been a worse competition. At that time, there weren’t many competitors, and they’d retire quickly, when they could have skated more. More than my disappointment in losing, I was disappointed that rivals to compete with were getting fewer and fewer. 29:25 Plushenko won Olympic Silver twice. The athletes that took gold, Yagudin and Lysacek did not attempt to defend their title, but left the competitive stage. 29:40 “It’s not like I don’t understand those who retire. When you get to the level where you compete for medals, it’s extremely tough to maintain. Getting fed up with the suffering, those who medal at the Olympics and Worlds choose to retire. When they skate in shows, they introduce you as so-and-so, the medalist. Because of that, the level of competition at the Olympics gets lowered. You’re quitting too, and you? That was frustrating.” 30:12 Because of this, when the strong rival Yuzuru Hanyu appeared, Plushenko was encouraged. "How to beat him (Hanyu) on the ice, to shock him, to knock him down, that’s all I thought about” 30:41 From this glaring fighting spirit, Hanyu responded with all his might. (From Hanyu’s first autobiography, Blue Flames) I don’t know if I can surpass him. But no matter how high a level I go to, having other strong competitors fires me up. I want to be that person to Plushenko, ‘a person who fires you up’ even if only a little, I want to get closer to being that (person).

31:15 Sochi Olympics, 2014, their wishes were not granted. “The bolt that was supporting my lower back came loose at practice before the competition. Never before have I felt such pain. Performing was impossible.” 31:50 Footage of Plushenko withdrawing31:56 Footage of Hanyu receiving the gold medal at Sochi 32:11 “When Yuzuru won the gold in Sochi and said he wouldn’t retire, and would go to the next (Olympics) I was jumping with joy. Even if I left, he would continue to compete and the greatest competition, the Olympics would maintain its high level. Yuzuru knows the best performances can only be done in competition and there is no greater joy than becoming the Olympic Champion.” 32:39 Hanyu received the baton from Plushenko and started for the Pyeonchang Olympics. In the 4 years that came between, younger athletes appeared, but whenever he was asked about it Plushenko always answered ‘the contender for gold is Hanyu’. 32:57 “ A lot of times, competitors mess up, and the Olympics gives a special kind of nerves or adrenaline. Having won gold once, puts you ahead. The important thing is not the elements, but experience and confidence. And the only one who had both was Yuzuru. Even now, having won consecutively, he hasn’t stopped evolving. The top athletes are the greediest, there’s no way they’ll lose. I know from personal experience how hard it is to win consecutively, but if anyone was going to do it in the whole world, it would be Yuzuru. That’s why I know at that Olympics, if Yuzuru could make it there, there was no way he wouldn’t win.” (literal translation ‘if he can just stand in that place’)34:00 If he can just make it there…we now know that Plushenko’s prophecy came true, but up till that moment, we didn’t know if he could stand.

"Plushenko: When Yuzuru enters a competition, he’s there to win. If Japan will let him concentrate on the Olympics, at least 4 consecutive wins is possible. 5 is not out of the question. "

" It's funny that in Japan, Plushenko's name almost always comes with the title, 'koutei' emperor."

Yokotanpe: "I will introduce it little by little from the TV program that was broadcasted in Japan today!That's excellent!!!!!!! Урааааа❤️Plushenko Family!!!!!!!Full story→Link BIO" https://www.instagram.com/p/Bugg_E6nUG_/

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bugki-HHd2P/ - Sasha has four sponsors. It is beyond Evgeni. Sasha has already decided the appearance of the Japanese ice show! It is a wonderful talent. СашенькаFull story→BIO

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuhKLnXncoS/ - Daddy Sasha number one! This is a very cool dad! be proud! Please look at Sasha's smile! Very nice smile! Broadcast this time here! Thanks for viewing the many posts!

aaand https://twitter.com/IdolCastPodCast/...21281488588800 - I like that the Worldwide Trends right now are Kpop fandoms fighting over the #SoompiAwards and Russian ice skater Evgeni Plushenko's son Sasha because he is apparently very cute and on Japanese TV right now.

Yesterday, at @jumeirahvittaveli, we celebrated the anniversary of the opening of the first ice rink in the Maldives and presented it with my friend and General Mananger @amitmajumder2010 , the figure skating museum. I gave my competitive costume as a gift to the museum and my unique skates, which deserve a separate post.